A quiet Saturday morning in Central Park turned dangerous when police say a man dressed in black randomly assaulted a stranger just sitting on a bench minding his own business.
The victim, a 34-year-old man, was sucker punched in the latest case of random violence against innocent New Yorkers, according to investigators.
The unprovoked violence happened in Central Park just after 9:45 am, near Center Drive and 62nd Street, according to police. Detectives say the seated victim was approached by the suspect, who socked him in the face then ran away.
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While crime is up just 17% in Central Park this year, felony assaults in the park have spiked 150%, with ten reported attacks within Central park so far in 2022, compared with just four attacks in the same time period last year.
Robberies in the park remained flat year-to-year with eleven reported each year.
Police say the victim in Saturday’s attack refused medical attention and their investigation is ongoing.
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